title: Characterization of influenza A viruses isolated from wild waterfowl in Zambia.
abstract: Although the quest to clarify the role of wild birds in the spread of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus (AIV) has yielded considerable data on AIVs in wild birds worldwide, information regarding the ecology and epidemiology of AIVs in African wild birds is still very limited. During AIV surveillance in Zambia (2008-2009), 12 viruses of distinct subtypes (H3N8, H4N6, H6N2, H9N1 and H11N9) were isolated from wild waterfowl. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that all the isolates were of the Eurasian lineage. Whilst some genes were closely related to those of AIVs isolated from wild and domestic birds in South Africa, intimating possible AIV exchange between wild birds and poultry in southern Africa, some gene segments were closely related to those of AIVs isolated in Europe and Asia, thus confirming the inter-regional AIV gene flow among these continents. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences of internal proteins revealed that several isolates harboured particular residues predominantly observed in human influenza viruses. Interestingly, the isolates with human-associated residues exhibited higher levels of virus replication in the lungs of infected mice and caused more morbidity as measured by weight loss than an isolate lacking such residues. This study stresses the need for continued monitoring of AIVs in wild and domestic birds in southern Africa to gain a better understanding of the emergence of strains with the potential to infect mammals.
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Simulundu
authors.affiliation: Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Igarashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Aaron S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mweene
authors.affiliation: Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Bernard M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Hang'ombe
authors.affiliation: Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Boniface
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Namangala
authors.affiliation: Department of Paraclinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.
authors.forename: Ladslav
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moonga
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Rashid
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manzoor
authors.affiliation: Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Kimihito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Disease Control, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.affiliation: Japan Science and Technology Agency Basic Research Programs, Saitama, Japan.|Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kida
authors.affiliation: Zambia Wildlife Authority, Kafue Road, Private Bag 1, Chilanga, Zambia.
authors.forename: Chuma
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simukonda
authors.affiliation: Zambia Wildlife Authority, Kafue Road, Private Bag 1, Chilanga, Zambia.
authors.forename: Wilbroad
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chansa
authors.affiliation: Zambia Wildlife Authority, Kafue Road, Private Bag 1, Chilanga, Zambia.
authors.forename: Jack
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chulu
authors.affiliation: Hokudai Center for Zoonosis Control in Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine, The University of Zambia, PO Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia.|Hokkaido University Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Kita-20, Nishi-10, Kita-ku, Sapporo 001-0020, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayato
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Takada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000821:virology*; D046090:Anseriformes / Q000821:virology*; D005243:Feces / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D009980:Influenza A virus / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005585:Influenza in Birds / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014774:Virulence; D015024:Zambia
chemical_list: D014764:Viral Proteins